Touch and Go Starbelly

Sometimes, a pilot will land a plane and then take off again immediately. This is called a "touch and go" and usually occurs when the pilot aborts the landing and decides instead to just lift off. That is a bit how I felt the other day when I had a long layover in San Francisco, because I touched down, ate a meal with friends and then took off again!

We could not have planned it better, my friend Chef Dan swooped in his coup and scooped me up at the airport and then we headed straight for the Castro district to a place called "Starbelly." Now let me tell you Chef Dan is a foodie, he cooks and is the executive chef at the Concordia Argonaut club in the city. Few people I know can match his enthusiasm for life, he is just so darn happy to be on this planet and the good vibes radiate onto all those around him. We sat down and right away he is making small talk to the wait staff and getting everybody stoked about life, what a guy!


While we waited for Leslie to arrive, Dan ordered the chicken liver pate at the recommendation of our server and I was most pleasantly surprised! It was rich in flavor and texture was so smooth in my mouth, this was my first pate and the bar has been set high! Leslie cruised in with a few climbing mags for me, a real nice gesture and I was darn happy to see her. Despite some setbacks lately for her, she remains strong and keeps a high quality of life seemingly with ease.


The main counter at Starbelly was the wood from an old, refinished bowling alley lane, polished like the real thing too! We all ordered different dishes to try items on the menu (first time to Starbelly for everybody). We split a pork belly sandwich, a burger with fresh bleu cheese and a specialty pizza. There was more than enough food to go around and everything was so rich in flavor. The Chef (of Starbelly) walked by our table and Chef Dan made a point to tell him how good the food was he prepared! I could not agree with him more, fabulous ingredient combinations. We all had a bit of catching up to do it, so the conversation was well lit too. We chatted about climbing a lot, some misc. gossip and family.

It was super nice to catch up with some good friends who have had such a positive impact on my life. I thoroughly enjoy spending time with folks that have a great outlook on life. I love it when a plan comes together, sad that I had to leave, but exciting to look forward to going back to the city of open-mindedness.